1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to rolling mills, and is concerned in particular with an improved roll assembly of the "cantilevered" or "overhung" type commonly employed in the single strand rolling of steel rod and bar products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the above-mentioned type of roll assembly, care must be taken to avoid overstressing the roll material when operating under high load conditions. Overstressing can result from the high separating forces typically encountered when rolling at lower temperatures, or from roll profiles having increased groove depths, or from combinations of the foregoing. When such high stress conditions are encountered, conventional roll mounting assemblies of the type disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,691, are no longer considered adequate.
A general objective of the present invention is to provide an improved roll assembly which minimizes roll stresses when rolling under high load conditions.
A more particular objective of the present invention is to provide an improved means of transmitting torque from the roll shaft to the work roll, while at the same time maintaining the work roll securely aligned concentrically with the roll shaft axis.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a roll assembly which can be rapidly and efficiently mounted on and removed from the roll shaft by means of a single hydraulically actuated tool.